1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to low power electrical receptacles and more particularly to devices of the type intended to provide low voltage d.c. power to small accessories as employed in automotive vehicles of various kinds, including trucks, tractors, farm equipment, or in boats, aircraft, etc.
In particular, the invention involves a weatherproof receptacle which accommodates electric plugs receivable in conventional cigar lighter sockets to supply current to various types of equipment, such as auxiliary lights, portable compressors, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
In recent years, electrical extension cords comprising cables having small molded plastic electrical plugs have been used with cigar lighter receptacles for supplying low voltage d.c. power to a various types of equipment, such as auxiliary lamps, re-chargeable flashlights, portable radios, tape recorders, air-compressors, and other devices. Also, more recently, automotive jumper cables have been developed to permit charging of a weak battery in one vehicle from the alternator of another vehicle, through the vehicles' cigar lighter sockets. Generally these jumper cables consist of a length of two-conductor electrical cord joining plugs that are inserted in the cigar lighter wells of the two vehicles.
When a cigar lighter receptacle is employed as a power outlet, the cigar lighter ignitor plug must of necessity, be removed; it often become misplaced or lost, thus resulting in loss of the cigar lighter function. Also, cigar lighter sockets are designed primarily for use with their cooperable ignitor plugs, and accordingly the numerous different socket structures that have been devised and constructed over the years do not especially lend themselves to use as power receptacles, especially in harsh environments such as where they would be exposed to moisture, dirt, oil, salt water, or other conditions involving corrosive environments.
Prior waterproof receptacles of the type intended solely for power transfer have been found to perform in a generally satisfactory manner; however they do not accept cigar-lighter type plugs and in many instances they are expensive to manufacture and produce, involving multiple parts and relatively complex components. Efforts to reduce the overall manufacturing cost often have not resulted in significant improvement in the problem of cost reduction and have degraded the quality of the receptacle. Accordingly those units which are currently available constitute somewhat of a compromise in terms of performance versus expense.